Clown w/ White Eyes

[KaiPono]

One of my two clowns has a white spot on both eyes. No other spots or lines that I can see. She still eats well and pesters the goby/pistol pair so behavior seems unaffected. Searched the threads and couldn’t find anything that might be limited only to eyes. Any thoughts or recommended treatment?

 

[vetteguy53081]

One of my two clowns has a white spot on both eyes. No other spots or lines that I can see. She still eats well and pesters the goby/pistol pair so behavior seems unaffected. Searched the threads and couldn’t find anything that might be limited only to eyes. Any thoughts or recommended treatment?

This may be light retina damage from injury, previous high ammonia or injury
It may or may not heal but you can treat in a separate quarantine tank with Maracyn, Not Maracyn oxy or Maracyn 2 and it may or may not help but worth a shot
Increase aeration with an air stone if you decide to treat

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

One of my two clowns has a white spot on both eyes. No other spots or lines that I can see. She still eats well and pesters the goby/pistol pair so behavior seems unaffected. Searched the threads and couldn’t find anything that might be limited only to eyes. Any thoughts or recommended treatment?

Can you tell - are the white spots on the eye's surface, or beneath the lens, inside the eye? If the latter, they are cataracts. If they are on the surface, it is most likely mucus.

Here is an article on fish eye health that may give you some background:

Aquarium Fish: The ‘Eyes’ Have it: A Review of Eye Health in Aquarium Fishes

Aquarists need to inspect their fish closely every day, for signs of impending health problems. It is much easier to resolve a problem when it first starts, than to attempt a drastic emergency treatment when the fish is close to dying.

reefs.com

Jay

 

[KaiPono]

Can you tell - are the white spots on the eye's surface, or beneath the lens, inside the eye? If the latter, they are cataracts. If they are on the surface, it is most likely mucus.

Here is an article on fish eye health that may give you some background:

Aquarium Fish: The ‘Eyes’ Have it: A Review of Eye Health in Aquarium Fishes

Aquarists need to inspect their fish closely every day, for signs of impending health problems. It is much easier to resolve a problem when it first starts, than to attempt a drastic emergency treatment when the fish is close to dying.

reefs.com

Jay

It certainly appears to be on the surface of both eyes (first pic). But it looks like a very small spot rather than cloudiness or an injury. Just rechecked water: no ammonia & nitrate is only 10, which would imply to me no recent ammonia spike (?). Very good article…will keep that one tagged. I’m stumped unless it’s early flukes/ich? All fish were QT.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

It certainly appears to be on the surface of both eyes (first pic). But it looks like a very small spot rather than cloudiness or an injury. Just rechecked water: no ammonia & nitrate is only 10, which would imply to me no recent ammonia spike (?). Very good article…will keep that one tagged. I’m stumped unless it’s early flukes/ich? All fish were QT.

Probably not cataracts then. Neobenedenia flukes can cause white spots on the outer eyes of fish, but clownfish are not really prone to those, and then, the flukes would affect all fish, not just one clownfish.

If it is bacterial, treatment in a hospital tank with Maracyn 1 / Erythromycin often works, but you may just want to wait and see what develops. The main issue is if the spots get too large, the clown won't be able to see its food well.

Jay

 

[KaiPono]

It’s been a week and from what I can see both eyes are now clear! Assuming it might have been a slight injury either from pestering the pistol shrimp or water quality if it cleared that fast? Hard to know, but I greatly appreciate the insights from you both! Love having R2R experts on call as I learn.